Promising stayer breaks through for Robinson

TRAINER Jarrod Robinson holds good hopes for developing stayer Kazungula following his maiden win at Pakenham earlier this month.

The son of 2013 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente broke through for his first win at start number 10 with a gutsy 2000m win on a heavy 8 track.

Described by his Bendigo-based trainer as a late maturer and easily spooked, the five-year-old gelding had been placed on five previous occasions, including four seconds.

The latest of those seconds was at his previous start at Echuca three weeks earlier.

Robinson praised a nice ride by apprentice Nadia Daniels, who had partnered Kazungula twice previously for a pair of seconds.

“He is a nice horse going forward, he just doesn’t like hitting the front,” he said.

“Even (at Pakenham) he had a good think about it, but Nadia guided him up the straight and got his head in front at the right time.

“She did a great job; she put the stick away and just guided him hands and heels.

“He’s improving all the time. When we first got him, you couldn’t ride him by himself – he was really timid.

“But he’s getting braver, so once the penny drops he is going to be a nice stayer.

“He’ll stay all day.”

A Friday night win under lights gave a relieved Robinson his biggest race win in more than 12 months and came hot on the heels of his smart two-year-old Running Rich’s third placing in the $250,000 VOBIS Gold Rush on Golden Mile day at Bendigo on 2 May.

“It would have been nice if I had won the Gold Rush the other day; I’ve been a bit quiet,” he said.

“But it’s good to win a race down here.”

Daniels, who is apprenticed to Pat Carey and Harris Walker, Kazungula’s original trainers, at Mornington, can see plenty of upside in the lightly-raced gelding.

“This horse has been knocking on the door for a long time now,” she said.

“I’ve had the opportunity to ride him a few times now; he always does just a few things wrong as he did (at Pakenham).

“At least he stuck his nose in front.

“He’s got all the ability in the world, but as you saw, he was laying in a little bit and a was a touch slow at the gates.

“But if he’s winning and still doing things wrong, he’s got plenty of improvement in him.”

The win on Kazungula was the 26th of Daniels’ career and her first for Robinson.